Will You Miss Me?
by some random gal
Summary: The whole ordeal is over,so the inevitable happens. Keith has to return to the hometown he works in. before he leaves, he asks Kate one last question.


Some Random gal here with her first Pokémon oneshot. I. am. back! I came backa little sooner than i thought. I will be uploading chapters a ;little slowly though, but i hope you all will be patient enough to wait for me^^. I was sorely disappointed when I finished the game and found Keith had left. So I listened to some music and this song reminded the pair. So I wrote it down. My second songfic...hope it's good enough for you all.

Will You Miss Me?

Everyone was laughing and clinking glasses. People were reminiscing the old times and laughing at jokes. The banner that said 'We Will Miss You Keith!' stood out boldly in the mass of people. More boldly than Kate would like. They were having an evening farewell party for Keith, who was leaving Almia to go back to his workplace. Now that the whole 'dark crystal' thing was solved, Keith no longer had a reason to stay. He was over by the punch table chatting with Rhythmi and he has around two hours before he has to go. The thought made Kate's throat clench. Keith suddenly glanced her way and Kate promptly turned the other way. But Keith was already grinning and working his way through the crowd to get to her.

'Yo, Kate! Being a bit quiet, aren't you?' Keith said chirpily when he finally reached her side. Kate tensed and said nothing. She didn't have anything to say. Keith persisted in trying to get her to talk. 'I am really going to miss this place. All the Pokémon, all the people. I made tons of friends here. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll get some random mission that'll let me come here and see you all.' Still Kate refused to say anything. She didn't have anything to say that doesn't include voicing her want for him to stay, or snapping at him saying that if he had half a brain, he could switch work places to here. 'So Kate,' Keith was saying. 'Would you miss me if I left?' Kate snapped her head round at him to glare in incredulous anger. What kind of question was that? Keith seemed unperturbed by the glare, simply happy that he got a response.

'What kind of question was that?' Kate hissed, voicing her very thought.

'Oh! Feisty! Does that mean a yes?' Keith went round her and hugged her from behind, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pressing his chest to her back and resting his chin on top of her head. 'Little Katie is gonna miss me! I feel loved!' Keith cried in a teasing voice, totally unaware of the effect the closure had on Kate. Kate had quickly gone red from the closeness and went redder from what Keith had just said. Some people were starting to stare, adding to her embarrassment. She wriggled out of the embrace, but Keith then had a hold on her arm. 'Are you gonna stare out at the harbor and cry as I leave? Are you gonna stare out the window at night and wonder if I'm staring at the sky like you are?' Keith continued a goofy grin on his face. Kate couldn't take it anymore. The ache from Keith's soon-to-be-departure and the embarrassment from his teasing all turned into anger. She turned on him, a scowl on her face.

'Yes!' She yelled, causing everyone's chatter to quickly hush down. 'Yes, I am going to miss you. Yes, I am going to stare as you go off in your boat, hoping you change your mind and turn around. Yes, I am going to stare off into the night, just like in the movies and wonder what you are doing right now. Right now, as everyone is having fun, I am sitting here wishing that you weren't leaving again just like when we were in ranger school. But I guess you think this is funny. I bet you're happy I feel this way. Cute, silly Katie is gonna miss me. I am glad that you feel special.' With that, Kate rushed up the escalator and into her quarters. She leaned against the door, breathing hard. The moonlight was bright enough so that her whole room was just about visible. _Great. Just great Kate. You went reeeaaaal smooth there. You could've just said 'Yes, I will miss you heaps Keith. I hope you come back to visit.' But noooo. You had to blow up like that in front of all your friends, and most importantly, in front of Keith. I hope you're happy._ Angry at herself, Kate took her iPod (do they have any in Almia?) and let a loud rock song play as she flopped onto her bed and buried her head and berated herself. How was she going to face the others? What was she going to say? What if rumours pop up because of this? Will Keith be mad at her? The song ended at a new one started. Kate looked up at the sudden change and, for some reason, decided to sing along.

_The smell of your skin, lingers on me now_

_You're probably on your flight back to your hometown..._

Faintly, just faintly, Kate could smell the scent Keith left from where he hugged her. She remembered the warmth that radiated off him, the warmth that usually made her feel safe. Tonight, it just made her throat ache and her chest tighten. Maybe, now that Kate ruined the party, Keith has gone back early. The thought made her feel strangely sad.

_I need some shelter of my own protection baby_

_To be with myself and centre..._

_Clarity, peace, serenity..._

She can't depend on him anymore. It was just then she realised how much she needed him by her side most of the time. She turned to the mirror that was on the wall and saw her sad, crestfallen face.

_I hope you know, I hope you know_

_That this has nothing to do with you_

_It's personal,_

_Myself and I, we've got some straightening out to do._

Kate didn't understand this feeling. Sure, she was gonna miss him, but to miss him _this hard_. Friends don't usually miss friends this much do they?

_And I'm gonna miss you_

_Like a child misses their blanket_

_But I've gotta get a move on_

_With my life_

It felt like she was losing something important. Something she can't replace. She didn't like it and she had to shake it off. It felt almost exactly the same when she found out she was being separated from him back in ranger school, only stronger.

_It's time to be, a big girl now_

_And big girls don't cry_

She suddenly felt her eyes sting and she whispered the last part of the lyrics to stop the tears from flowing. What if someone came in?

_The path that I'm walking_

_I must go alone_

When there is no more Keith, she'll be going solo again, just like when she first started out. She remembered how she would anxiously look through the Almia Times, trying to find an article with him in it. It seemed to soften the fact that she was by herself.

_I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown_

_Well, if Keith can go on his own, why can't I? Am I that weak?_ Kate could just imagine Keith gloating at how great he was and an unwilling smile came to her lips. _Maybe I can be like him some day._

_Fairy tales don't always have a happy ending do they?_

_And I foresee the dark ahead_

_If I stay..._

_Hmm, fairytales..._This certainly has been like a fairy tale with a sad ending. She saved Almia from a great dark power, and in the end, by solving the problem, she's losing a friend. _Maybe it would've been better if he was a total stranger to me. Then all this mess with my feelings won't be an issue...feelings?_

_I hope you know, I hope you know_

_That this has nothing to do with you_

_It's personal_

_Myself and I, we've got some straightening out to do_

Did Kate have...feelings for Keith? He eyes landed on her photo album from ranger school. She reached for it, her lips not faltering from the song.

_And I'm gonna miss you_

_Like a child misses their blanket_

_But I've gotta get a move on_

_With my life_

Kate sat on the floor, leaning on the edge of her bed, and opened the album and fondly looked over the photos of Rhythmi, Keith and her together. _We were so happy then...Just friends._

_It's time to be a big girl now_

_And big girls don't cry_

_Like a little school mate, in the school yard._

_We'll play jacks and Uno cards_

She and Keith used to run challenging each other, and Rhythmi would judge. As far as Kate knows, they were still tied in points.

_I'll be your best friend_

_And you'll be mine_

_Valentine..._

Kate remembered the first time she gave him a Valentine chocolate. It was strictly friend-based but for some reason, she was shy in giving it. And for some reason, at the time she didn't understand, Keith blushed and laughed as he received it. Did her feelings start then?

_Yes you can hold my hand if you want to_

_Cause I wanna hold yours too_

Keith held her hand as they went down into the basement. As she flipped the page again, she placed that hand to her cheek. She remembered how tightly it held her, how it trembled from suppressed fear. She remembered that she squeezed back too.

_We'll be playmates and lovers_

_And share our secret worlds_

The one confidential, besides Rhythmi, that Kate could trust to share her secrets with. She could unhesitantly pour her heart out to him.

Her heart...

She couldn't deny it.

She loved him.

But...

_But it's time for me to go home..._

_It's getting late and dark outside_

_I need to be with myself and centre_

_Clarity, peace, serenity_

He's leaving her.

_I hope you know, I hope you know_

_That this has nothing to do with you_

_It's personal_

_Myself and I, we've got some straightening out to do_

Kate closed the album and flung it away.

_And I'm gonna miss you_

_Like a child misses their blanket_

_But I've gotta get a move on_

_With my life_

_It's time to be a big girl now_

_And big girls don't cry..._

'I love you, Keith.' Kate sobbed quietly after the song ended as she covered her face with her hands and leaning back that her head rested on the bed. 'I don't want you to go...'

The door opened and light streamed in.

Keith stood in the door way, his expression unreadable. Kate instantly knew that he was probably listening to her for the whole time and suddenly felt very vulnerable, but what right did she have to defend herself? She just yelled at him a while ago. She was mildly surprised he didn't leave Almia in a huff.

'Keith.' Kate started meekly, her voice thick with tears. 'Listen, I'm sorry...about what I said downstairs. I-' Keith had walked into her room, the door sliding shut behind him and the only light source was the moonlight again. Keith stopped in front of the crouched girl and fell to be at eye level with her. Their eyes locked, brown to brown. Kate couldn't seem to handle it and broke it, looking down at her lap. 'I'm sorry.' Kate whispered her voice barely audible. She gasped softly when two warm, gloved hands took her cheeks and forced her head up, making her look at him again. Keith then moved closer and, gently but firmly, pressed his lips to hers. Kate, in her current distraught state, only froze in surprise and stared at the male ranger as he pulled back.

'Will you miss me if I left?' Keith asked softly, repeating the question from the party. Kate was about to open her mouth to retort, but the look he gave her made her realise he wanted a serious answer this time. Kate lowered her eyes again.

'Yes.' She whispered, blushing a pretty pink. 'I will miss you. Alot.' Keith let a small smile grace his lips.

'I have made lots of friends here, and I will miss them heaps when I leave.' He said softly. 'But the one I will miss most…it's you.' Kate's eyes snapped up. There was no humour of Keith's face; no teasing, no joking. Just down-to-Earth honesty and that Kate feel _deliriously_ happy. Keith caught her lips in another kiss and this time, Kate kissed back, snaking her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his spiky red hair, while Keith gently caressed her lips with his, loving holding her face in his hands. They pulled apart a bit breathless, stared at each other for another moment, then broke into slightly embarrassed giggles. 'We better be getting downstairs before they come up to check on us.' Keith said. Kate nodded and, clasping her hands, Keith helped her to her feet. He didn't let go though. He held one hand tightly in his. Kate didn't mind though and squeezed back. Together they went downstairs to the waiting expectant crowd down below.


End file.
